


Dinner for Two

by emma_rose_taylor



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Dinner, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-12 03:22:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20557406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emma_rose_taylor/pseuds/emma_rose_taylor
Summary: Newt wants to thank Tina for her hospitality and does so by cooking her a meal (kind of).Set during the week Newt stays with the Goldstein sisters before returning to England (basically, soon after the first movie).





	Dinner for Two

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Here's a one shot for your day. Feel free to let me know what you think. I hope you enjoy!

Newt's POV

"The table's set, and everything's where it should be. Shouldn't be too long before she arrives." Queenie announced as she rushed around the room, grabbing her things before striding over to the door. At the rate she was going, no one could have expected her to stop, but she did. I couldn't blame her. My mind was extremely busy at the moment, frantic as I considered what was about to take place in the near future. I heard Queenie turn around and felt her eyes staring at me before she spoke. 

"Don't worry, she's going to love it." came her reassuring voice. I attempted a smile, but failed. No matter how hard I tried, I simply couldn't shake the thought of the evening going disastrously wrong. It did no good for me to worry, and normally I was able to refrain from such pessimistic thinking, yet that particular night was an exception. The stakes were high, and I was entering new territory. Coming to New York was one thing, but trying to demonstrate my affections for Ms. Tina Goldstein was quite another. 

"Trust me. It's a tried-and true recipe, one of her favorites." Queenie added, noting my silence. There was a pause as she seemed to contemplate an action, shifting her weight from one side of her body to the other. "But of course, that's not what you're worried about." I lowered my head and sighed. Although I was reluctant to vocalize my concerns, I knew keeping them inside wouldn't do any good. "What if it's me she doesn't like?" I mumbled quietly, anxious to hear Queenie's response yet trying to hope for the best. 

"Oh, Newt." Queenie breathed. She seemed surprised I would even worry about such a thing, as if it were common knowledge. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Of course I wanted to believe Tina cared for me in a manner similar to the way in which I care about her. But life doesn't always work out the way you want it to, this much I've learned. What should be simple often is not, and human-to-human relationships are, above anything else, quite complicated and very not simple. 

I glanced up at Queenie to find her smiling sadly, her eyes full of emotion. Had she been reading my mind again? Even if she hadn't, it wasn't exactly difficult to pick up on my thoughts. Yet there was a glimmer in Queenie's eyes that seemed to suggest more. It was almost as if she wanted to tell me something but was refraining from doing so. Ultimately, she let out a quick breath before admitting, "Tina can be a bit hard to read sometimes. She cares about things deeply, it's just that she has a funny way of showing it." 

Our eyes connected for a brief moment, nothing more, because reality set in and Queenie had to leave. "I'll see you later, Newt." She added simply, closing the door behind her with a soft click. I sighed. 'Tina won't be long' I reminded myself firmly, hoping she arrived soon. Otherwise I might be tempted to "chicken out". This sort of thing was never my strong suit anyway, but I wanted to show Tina my appreciation and, if I'm being honest, a glimpse of my affections as well. I just hoped it would be enough. 

3rd POV

The day had been fairly normal, Tina decided as she made her way up the wooden staircase. Okay, so there had been a couple things that likely weren't considered average yet the day as a whole had been quite mundane for the most part. What did she expect? Her job continued to involve paperwork and menial tasks in the wand permit office despite all that had transpired in the last few days. Wanting to suggest her reinstatement as an auror to Madam Picquery yet unsure of where she stood with her, Tina felt conflicted. 'I wonder what Queenie's made for dinner' she inquired of herself mentally. Maybe the thought would serve as a distraction. It did for a moment, at least until Tina opened the door to their apartment. 

Something was wrong. Darkness invaded the area typically clothed in light, not to mention the lack of noise. Queenie would have the radio on while cooking; if it was quiet and dark, where was she? Could this be the result of a prank or small joke being played on her? Tina doubted it. After all, Queenie was aware of the stress she had been under recently and knew not to joke about something that would cause Tina to worry. Yet worry was all she felt in that moment. Debating between remaining quiet or making her presence known, Tina hosted a mental debate before settling on the latter. 

"Queenie?" She wondered aloud. There was still a chance this was nothing more than a prank, although the chances of that were becoming more and more slim by the minute. Tina's eyes adjusted to the darkness as she cracked the door a bit farther. She didn't want to open it all the way in case a malicious foe was on the other side, so she hid her body behind the door while cautiously peeking her head around it. There seemed to be no one there. Tina prepared to enter the apartment, pausing when she caught wind of a voice. 

"You behave, I won't be long." came the voice, one that Tina was all too familiar with. She couldn't help but sigh, shaking her head at what she had deemed to be a potentially dangerous situation. With much less anxiety than before, Tina entered the apartment. The sound of footsteps alerted Newt to her presence, and it wasn't long before he could be seen. "Tina, you're back." He remarked, handsome as ever. His eyes made contact with Tina's for a brief moment before turning towards the ground. 

"What is all this?" Tina asked, incredulous at what surrounded her. The dinner table, laden with decadent dishes, looked spectacular. Perhaps it was a result of her empty stomach or the flickering candles set in between the mouth-watering foods. Whatever it was, Tina couldn't wait to sit down and eat. She turned her eyes from the table to Newt for an explanation. The latter remained silent until he realized Tina had asked him a question. 

"Yes, of course. It's mostly Queenie's. We both thought you deserved a nice meal, especially with all that's recently taken place." He paused, a small smile appearing on his face before he continued on. "I personally wanted to express my gratitude for letting me stay here until I return to England. Your hospitality is very much appreciated." He finished, his eyes still fixed on the ground. Tina smiled as she stared at the floor as well. "Oh, it's nothing." she replied, her voice quieter than she intended it to be. Tina wasn't one to command a room, but she wasn't normally this soft-spoken either. What was going on? 

Clearing her throat to regain control of the situation, Tina soon changed the subject by asking, "Should I change?" Newt's head jerked upward at the question, his eyes displaying minor confusion. He seemed unsure of how to respond, stuck between taking his time to find the right words and hurrying to say them before it was too late. Ultimately, he settled on, "If you'd like. I think you look wonderful as you are, but if you'd feel more comfortable in something else, feel free. It is your home, after all." 

The corners of Tina's mouth curled to form a smile. "I won't be long" she promised, hurrying off to her bedroom. A quick 'snap' of the doors echoed through the room as they slid shut behind her. Newt released a necessary sigh. He hoped he hadn't said anything too daring or forward; they hadn't even started eating yet. The night had only just begun, and he already felt nervous. Newt tried to maintain positive spirits, yet he had not accounted for Tina's radiant appearance, which caused his internal organs to twist and flip repeatedly. Merlin's beard, this was going to be a long night. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elegantly simple, Tina's outfit consisted of a nice blouse and a long skirt. The latter showcased her figure in a way pants simply did not. While Newt didn't mind Tina's tomboyish look, he quite appreciated the chance to witness her more feminine side. Shortly after Tina had taken her seat at the dinner table, the two began to eat, feasting on fresh green beans, scalloped potatoes, and roasted chicken. As Queenie had informed Newt earlier, the combined dishes formed one of Tina's favorite meals. 

"Your sister seemed determined to provide us with a well-balanced meal." Newt noted as he skillfully maneuvered a gaggle of green beans from his plate to his fork. Tina looked up, her expression serious for a moment before it softened. "Queenie knows how to cook, that's for sure." she admitted casually. Newt smiled as he replied, "This meal is delicious, especially when compared to hot dogs." 

Tina couldn't help but hold her breath as she stared at Newt, incredulous. Had he just attempted to make a joke? The wizard gave no sign that he had done so yet his tone had seemed to be laced with a hint of amusement. Whatever the case, Newt quietly transferred a couple of potatoes from utensil to mouth, causing Tina to chuckle at the absurdity of it all. There was no lack of entertainment as the two conversed, Tina leading the conversation for Newt's sake. 

"I know it's a long shot, but I'm hoping to get my job back as an Auror." she confessed suddenly, the topic change abrupt. Tina seemed to realize this soon after uttering her thoughts, and quickly stammered, "Sorry, it's been on my mind a lot lately." Newt was in the middle of guiding a tender piece of chicken towards his mouth, but he placed his fork down for a moment to reassure the woman sitting across from him. "No worries. I hope you are reinstated; the job seems to suit you." 

Tina smiled in appreciation, staring softly at Newt before returning her gaze to the table. "Yes, well, hopefully Madam Picquery will take that into account. I'm not sure how much longer I can stand working in the wand permit office." Newt's eyebrows furrowed in concern, prompting Tina to continue. A moment of silence broken by a deep breath. "Where should I start?" She asked, sarcasm evident in her tone as well as the smirk she wore on her lips. Newt couldn't help but look up. 

Tina began with the treachery of having to be stuck underground all day, not to mention the sheer boredom that comes with the job itself. At least the paperwork necessary for her position as an Auror involved some level of interest. To top it all off, Queenie works there as well and while it's been nice to see her more often at work, Tina can't admit she's thrilled to be around her every hour of the day. Although the sisters are closer than most, Tina expresses her need for a place where she can think freely. Prior to her demotion, MACUSA was a safe haven and a comfort zone, somewhere she could rest without having to worry about Queenie listening in on her every thought. Since then, it's been nothing but a reminder of her failures. Tina explained all this to Newt that night over dinner, although she neglected to include the last part. He could infer that on his own. 

Newt, however, wasn't so much focused on Tina's insecurities as he was with her desire to regain status as an Auror. His thoughts travelled as Tina continued on, wandering aimlessly as they occupied his mind. Though there was likely little that could be done, Newt decided to consider the matter a personal mission of his. It was something he would take care of —if at all possible— before returning to London. The job clearly meant everything to Tina, and she deserved to have the occupation she enjoyed and performed so well. 

"Newt?" He looked up as he heard his name being spoken. Tina's voice was soft and sweet, his name a young phoenix bursting forth from her lips. He felt embarrassed for a moment before he remembered the reason he stopped entertaining his thoughts. Absentminded, Newt maintained eye contact with Tina while he attempted to find the words to say. This was unfortunate because it merely prolonged his silence; Newt quickly became entranced by Tina's eyes, the flickering light from the candles reflected in those deep pools of brown. It was the kind of brown that seemed to melt until it consumed everything in its midst, like a black hole collapsing in on itself. Yet again, Newt found himself distracted, and he shook his head to get rid of such fanciful thoughts. 

"Queenie also made a butterscotch pie." He announced, hoping Tina wouldn't notice his dazed state. If she did, she displayed no visible signs, save for the beginnings of a smile. "That's my favorite." Tina confessed shyly. Newt tried his best to look at her without looking at her, aware of what would happen. "I'm excited to try it." He offered, reaching for the savory treat that would soon be devoured. 

Although a candlelit dinner was out of Newt's comfort zone, he preferred Tina's company to a state of solitude. Of course, he was never really alone. His creatures understood him much more than people did, and Newt felt safe with them. Yet there was something missing, or perhaps someone in particular. As Newt began to nibble on his slice of pie, he stole a quick glance at Tina. Longing filled his chest as he gazed in awe. She was beautiful in the humblest of ways, and those soft strands of hair framed her face in a way that merely elevated her appearance. Newt sighed internally, knowing the rest of the week would pass by all too soon, yet his time in America had formed memories that would be cherished even once Newt returned to England.


End file.
